Harry Potter: In All But Blood
by LordFira
Summary: Blood, its what makes a family right? His family died that October but Harry lived, he unwittingly became the BWL. He was left with the Dursleys, but in the aftermath what happened to his brother? The Potters lost a son, but another family gained an Heir. Fate and Destiny tie these two together despite who they were and who they will become. (Harry is the BWL)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Please Enjoy. As usual, I will say this only once. I do not own Harry Potter, if I did, I probably wouldn't be writing fan fic about it.**

**This is a LordFira/ManOfConstantSorrow work**

**Ships to be decided**

**Communication:**

"Normal Speech"

'Thoughts'

_"French or any other language I specify"_

**"Parseltongue"**

**If I happen to use any language other than English, which will most likely be Latin for spells, I will put a translation at the bottom. Once I have established who speaks what, I will simply write what they say in English and hopefully you as the reader will remember that the person is not speaking English at the moment. **

**Harry Potter: In All But Blood**

**Prologue**

**July 31st 1980 Stone Meadow, Lofte#7, 03:07 p.m.**

"Umm, James… "

"Yeah Lils?"

"It's happening."

"Huh, what is?" James said as he walked around the corner, an amber glass of scotch in his hand. He eyed his wife for a moment, noting the look of panic that screamed from her opulent green gaze.

"My water broke!" She breathed in a puff of fear and excitement. Her hand moved to her stomach, the other covering her heart.

James moved in a flash, his years of quidditch training paying off as he set the glass down, came to his wife, wandlessly summoned the closest chair, and helped her recline into it. Running a panicked, slightly frenzied hand through his hair he looked around for a second.

"Padfoot, PADFOOT!"

"What?!" Came Sirius's exasperated response. "What James?"

"Get the bag, the overnight bag. It's happening!"

Knowing what that meant, Sirius's eyes grew wide before he turned in the hallway of the magically expanded apartment and sprinted its length, sliding to a stop as he stumbled over a carpet and ran into the sitting room.

"Crap, crap, the baby's coming!" He breathed, snatching the bag and quickly twirling on the spot, his eyes searching the room for anything he had missed. He himself felt the nervous jitters of an expectant father, as this signaled the end of an era and the birth of a new; his godchild. "Let's go!" he said to himself maneuvering through the room and out into the hallway.

With the group all accounted for, James quickly conjured a patronus, fed it a few instructions and sent it off, its recipients being none other than their friends Remus and Peter. With that done, the quartet took in a deep breath and jumped through the wards, vanishing with simultaneous pops, leaving an empty apartment behind them. The only noise being the wizarding wireless.

Just as soon as they vanished, they reappeared in the entry way of St. Mungos. With a little direction they were led to a prebirthing room where they were met with a midwife, followed shortly by longtime friend Poppy Pomfrey and a few others. James made sure that the necessary people knew as he paced back and forth, Sirius doing his best to calm him down as the men of their family's entered, surrounding the expectant father.

Both maternal and paternal grandfathers gave soft words of wisdom, while both maternal and paternal grandmothers joined Lily in the birthing room.

To say they were on pins and needles would be an understatement.

**July 31st 1980, St. Mungos 07:38pm**

Time had a habit of lackadaisically drawing itself out when one generally needed it to speed up. Ease had escaped the company as everyone around waited with bated breath. James nerves were set on edge as he warily tended to a cup of coffee, his breath slow and shallow, traces of sweat creeping down his forehead as his father and Sirius had finally calmed him down enough to sit down.

"I just want to know how she is." he protested weakly, looking up into the eyes of his best mate.

"I know James, but we aren't allowed back there, you know the rules. If anything happens, we will know in a flash." He replied, patting his raven haired cousin on the back.

Remus walked in slowly, his eyes baleful and tired as he sat down heavily in a rather plush arm chair. "Anything?" he asked quietly.

Charlus, the current head of the family shook his head in reply as Mr. Evans stood near the door. For some reason Peter hadn't made it, but some rather surprising guests had figured out a way to be present at the birth of the next scion of the House of Potter. Hagrid, as well as Minerva, Professor Vector and Flitwick, Kingsley and Dawlish, the young Lord Bones and his wife had managed to escape their duties and arrive nearly as soon as the patronus had been sent to those in the order. Sirius's crush, Hestia managed a quick pop in, before being forced to return to the ministry while others decided that they should make a quick appearance.

Sirius's eyes narrowed as the group in the external waiting room parted, allowing a solitary figure entrance through the door that led to the family waiting room.

"Ahh Charlus, James" he said with solemn mirth, a twinkle in his serene blue eyes. Pushing up his half-moon spectacles he went to the elder Potter and clasped him merrily, silently congratulating him and parlaying whatever words men of their generation would. James and Sirius eyed them warily as Remus made his way over the pair.

"Why is he congratulating your dad like he is the father to be?" Sirius asked.

James shook his head shrugged. "Just being Dumbledore I guess."

"Yeah." Remus replied, finding a seat closer to his best friends.

James rocked forward in boredom and anticipation. It had been over four hours since she had been admitted, and who knew how much longer they would wait. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the flickering lights forlornly. "I don't get it, I'm the dad! Shouldn't I get to know a little something?" He asked no one in particular.

"That is the way these things go." Albus replied, casually meandering through the room as he sat opposite of Sirius, extending a congratulatory hand. James took it wearily, but smiled none the less.

"Thank you."

**July 31st 1980, St. Mungos Familial Waiting Room 11:39pm**

"-mes, HEY JAMES!" The raven hared man's eyes snapped open as he fiddled with his glasses.

"What?" He said groggily.

"The midwife!" Sirius replied, pointing at the woman that stood at the door.

The congregation of men had all stood in silent reverence each watching as James slowly stood and looked back to his best mate, getting a push of confidence before he slowly made his way to the midwife. She beckoned him to follow with a smile and he did, taking a soft breath and gulp before passing through the doors and into the sterile atmosphere. The doors shut behind him, leaving him and the white clad individual alone as she maneuvered her way through the wing, passing a few shut doors until she came to one that was slightly cracked. She motioned for him to wait, which he did in a daze. His heart began to race and he could feel himself getting warm. He didn't know if he was worried or not; there was only the noise of soft murmurs escaping through the slight opening.

The midwife returned and beckoned for him to enter the room, which he did slowly. He walked into the hospital room and quickly noted its somewhat lavish surroundings, obviously afforded because of his heritage and societal standing. The Hospital bed was a large full, strung about with drapes similar to their Hogwarts four-posters, there were several plush chairs around a coffee table near a hearth fireplace. Next to the bed stood several women, one of which was his own mother who smiled warmly at him as he tentatively approached. His eyes took in the view in boyish wonder, a small smile creeping across his face as he silently released the breath he never knew he was holding.

They were fine, they were better than fine.

**August 1st, 1980, St. Mungos Familial Waiting Room 12:02am**

Sirius was pacing in the waiting room, Remus watching the young man with a small smile.

"You should stop before you wear a rut into the ground." He chuckled

"Huh? Oh." He realized, stopping in his action as he moved to a chair. The older gentleman had congregated around each other to do who knows what. As Sirius made to sit down he was stopped by an opening door. James had his back to them, but his head was looking down and moving from right to left, light cooing escaping his mouth as every man waited in bated silence. Slowly, he turned to his left, a small beanie covered head breaking their line of site as everyone began to smile. James continued turning in full before he looked down at what was in his arms.

"Holy shit…" Sirius breathed as he approached slowly.

"I know Siri, I know! Twins, fraternal twins!" He breathed through tears of happiness.

"Twins." Sirius whispered as Remus followed, placing a large hand on James and Sirius shoulders.

Every man approached quietly, looking at the dual bundles the young father held in his arms before Charlus breathed a sigh of relief, a small smile crossing his face. He beckoned for the others to be let in before addressing them. When everyone was in the room and finally made their rounds ogling the pair of children in his arms, he finally looked up at them and said with a voice full or pride and dignity.

"I give you Harry James Potter…" He paused and nodded to his left. "…and Nathaniel Charlus Potter." He finished smiling at his father and father-in-law. "Harry is the older of the pair." He finished.

'Quite a pair they will be' Albus mused, pointedly standing behind the congregation, a slight twinkle vanishing from his eye as he nodded towards the newly minted father.

* * *

_**THIS IS NOT A WRONG BOY-WHO-LIVED FIC. **_


	2. Chapter 2

******.oOIABBOo.**  


**Chapter 1.** Flight

Hysterical misery, melancholy revelry, perhaps the reapers silly joke? There was no set combination of words, no phrase that could describe his thoughts, the beat of his heart, and the slow uneven movement of his feet as he stood at the end of the pathway, his eyes unsteady and gasps lingering on the precipice of his lips. He was frozen in dismay, nothing but a vague shadow of the grey eyed wonder he once was. His world was frozen, frozen in false image of pain that he wanted to erase and paint a new. He stilled his erratic breath as he forced himself to trudge the path to the disheveled door.

His hands barely registered the small gated doorway that he softly cast aside.

His eyed barely registered the twin sets of tricycles and brooms laying underneath the tire swing that moved gently in the autumn wind.

His nose registered the lingering scent of something archaic and sinister.

'Death'

He took the first step and stilled himself; he took the second step and took a deep resounding breath. He took the third step and stood at the opening where the front door had been blasted open; it swung in the door way barely standing, holding on with all its might by one single screw that maintained the last hinge. He stepped inside and walked to the left, creeping through the quiet hallway until he was brought to a resounding stop…

Tears

He stared at the ground, to the left of the stairway. No words escaped his lips, only tears. He took another breath, but it stuttered, he tried once more before he winced at the bite of the liquid that cut its way down his cheek over a small cut he had received on his rushed ride here. Finally the breath came but when he released it, a single word escaped his lips.

"James."

His mind couldn't perceive the reality that was staring at him. He fell to his knees reaching for the hazel eyed individual, dragging his prone form to him as he cradled his head on his lap, the tears escaping his eyes in full as he had no words to express the pain that had filled his heart, the anger that was lingering in the shadow of his emotion filled thoughts. He could only stare at the man, his tears falling onto his still face, that marauders gleam nonexistent.

"How, why?" he whispered between silent sobs.

James Potter was no more, he had a brief visit from an overwhelming dark lord, and this was what remained in his wake.

Sirius Black was heartbroken.

For what seemed like an eternity, he held the form of his deceased friend, crying to himself, before his mind came to a quick and sudden halt, his thought process kicking in and replacing the grief, albeit momentarily. 'Where is Lily?' he thought, wiping his nose with his sleeve. As if in answer to his silent questioning, he heard a faint noise.

"What is that?" he asked.

The noise slowly gained in strength, until he clearly recognized it. 'Crying' the sound of a crying infant permeated the still quiet that had enraptured the cozy home. The bleating of a terrified child shook him into action as he carefully moved his friends head and looked at him once more, his eyes shining with new tears before he took a deep breath and collected himself, closing his friends eyes and wishing him the best in the next world.

With his wand drawn, he moved slowly up the stairs, his auror training coming in to play as he ascended the unknown darkness with trepidation. He could only hear the crying, yet no motherly comfort. He hoped for the best but knew what to expect. If James was dead, so was she. Although it was dark he had spent enough time in this house to traverse its expanse with relative ease. He came to the top of the stairs and immediately turned right heading to the boy's nursery. At the doorway he took yet another deep breath, hoping to still his shaky hands, but knew it would not help before he entered the room only to be shaken once more.

Lily was on the ground, staring lifelessly at the doorway, her mouth was contorted as if her last words were yelling a pleading no. Her wand was a short distance from her hand. 'At least she tried to fight' Sirius admonished, the tears renewing their course down his cheeks. Before he attended to the crying child he moved her lifeless form and arranged her carefully, closing her eyes and placing her wand in her hand.

"I'm so sorry Lily" He whispered, once again wiping the tears from his eyes.

Finally he turned to the cradle and walked forward. His mind finally registered only one cry, his heart speeding up as he reached the baby's. He could only form a very forlorn and sad smile as he stared at the children. Nathaniel was screaming his lungs off, tears careening down the boys face. This wasn't surprising, but Harrys silence scared him. He looked at the young boy and noticed the freshly minted scar. Harry was the louder of the boys, so for him to remain asleep was a dreadful thought. Sirius reached forward taking his index and middle finger and gently placing them underneath Harry's arm trying to feel for a pulse.

Fear.

Fear is an odd emotion. It's productive and counterproductive. Fear can make you stand still while you are being attacked, or make you fight harder than you ever thought you could. In Sirius Blacks case, fear caused him to stiffen in disbelief as realization took him.

Harry Potter was dead…

His heart, for the third time that night broke, but this time in earnest. The still form of the baby before him was such an affront to his nature that he had to consciously still his stomach. He felt manic, he felt sad, he felt angry, and he felt broken. The torrent of emotion that captured him finally broke free in a hoarse yell; a mighty stream of curses escaped his lips. He couldn't understand how, he couldn't understand why, he could only blame but at the moment his thoughts were redirected by the gentle coo of a baby's voice as he turned his eyes down, his hands reflexively reaching for the inquisitive heterochromic eyed raven haired child that lay before him. The babe knew his godfather and instinctively took comfort in his embrace as Sirius held the boy with all the might in the world. A few tears escaping his eyes once more as he backpedaled from the crib.

"I have you" he whispered as the baby whimpered lightly.

Sirius mind became active as he felt the baby relax into his grasp. 'You're all I have left' he thought to himself, looking at the fallen form of his friend. With a final thought he turned and left the room, realizing that he had to get out of there. He remembered the one promise his friends had told him at the time of their children's birth. 'Take care of our boys'. With that thought he made a line for the door, coming down the stairs to the form of his best friend once more, stopping momentarily, and casting him a lingering look.

"I promise you, brother" he whispered, heading for the door.

The Potters will, would solidify his claim to the child, and so he felt justified in taking him before the authorities arrived. In fact he was an authority, and being their best friend he felt even more justified to do this. He just knew he had to keep him. Get to the ministry, alert them to what happened and keep Nathaniel with him.

Sudden cracks broke him from his thoughts as he quickly turned around, scanning the dark street.

"Whose there?" he called out.

A sudden whistle and a series of lights were the response to his question. He barely ducked in time to avoid the curses that made their way towards him. With his right hand occupied he couldn't do any shielding and quickly ran towards his bike. He deposited the infant in the side car before drawing his wand and quickly firing a few series of spells before crouching behind the front wheel of the motorbike. In the distance he could see five maybe six figures clad in black making their way towards him. His glance went from them to the baby. Were he alone he would have made a stand, but right now, the child was more important. Without hesitation he pointed his wand at the side car and Nathaniel and cast a sleeping, silencing, cushioning, and shield charm.

"Somnus, Silentium, Incumba, Protego Totalum"

His mind kicking into action, he had only one thought. Escape.

His bike roared to life, the moment he sat down on it, his hands wrapping around the throttle as he figuratively put the petal to the metal, the bike jumping forward as he rose his free hand, using a quick show of wandless magic and cast another shielding charm as he roared down the street, in time to miss the onslaught of spells making their way towards him. He gripped both handles and quickly pulled back on the handle bars, feeling the bike take a massive lunge and leap from the asphalt into the air as they became airborne. He looked behind him, the figures staring at him as he retreated from them before chancing a glance at the sleeping child beside him and took a breath. 'We're sa-'

His didn't get a chance to finish his thought as he barely dodged a sickly green light.

"What the…"

He said aloud turning to see several figures descending like hawks towards their dinner. The figures made a quick advance on the retreating man, releasing spell after spell as Sirius barely had time to register that they were Death Eaters on brooms. 'The dark lord accomplished his goal, what were they still following him for' he thought, his mind coming to the conclusion that they were after Nathaniel. He descended suddenly, his bike screeching as it hit the ground. He weaved his way through the traffic, still avoiding spell fire and narrowly avoiding the vehicles. In a show of skill he twirled his wand in his palm and quickly released a horizontal stream of reductos towards a few Death Eaters that had advanced in front of him, knocking two from their brooms, all the while forcing three others to block and decrease in speed as Sirius quickly made his way past them.

He made his way towards a tunnel that went underneath a river and made a partial right, paralleling the river for a quarter of a mile. Looking back he transfigured a portion of the center divider into three dozen crows and allowed them to fly haphazardly behind him, a feat of transfiguration that would have been astounding, where he and James not admittedly great at this form of magic. The Death Eaters encountered the cloud of black avian creations and had to deal with the disruption, giving Sirius enough time to accelerate and speed his way through the tunnel. 'Idiots' he thought to himself, they could have easily flown over and met him on the other side. But then again the Death Eaters weren't really famous for their brains.

He exited the tunnel in a flurry of noise, before pulling his bike up once more and pressing a small red button, shooting the bike forward with a massive roar, a plume of flames escaping the exhaust as he made his way towards the safest place he could; his London flat gifted to him by his Uncle Alphard, the last member of the family that still thought of him as such.

* * *

******.oOIABBOo.**

A deep grunt echoed through the heavy silence as heavy footsteps stirred loose gravel. A lumbering man made his way past the homes trying with the utmost effort to remain silent and elusive. Though it was virtually impossible for a being that stood at eight and a half feet tall.

His voice broke the silence as he approached the home in Godrics Hollow.

"No" He whispered in his West Country drawl.

He feebly and absently made his way to the door, bending down as he entered the house, his eyes immediately falling on the form of the fallen James. His eyes were closed and he was lain down respectfully. 'Someone has been here' the half giant thought, grasping his pink umbrella a bit tighter. He took a deep breath and looked around until the faint sound of crying came to his ears. His heart leapt to his throat his body falling into auto pilot as he took the stairs four at a time. Before he knew it, he was in the boys nursery's. His already glistening eyes sprang anew with tears as he spotted Lilly, a soft whimper escaping his bearded face. His dark drown gaze turned to the crib, his face contorted in sadness as he approached the weeping infant.

"Oh Harry." He said softly, eyeing the scar on him.

As gently as possible he reached for the crying baby. It was then he noticed that Nathaniel was gone. His heart ached as he was fairly certain that the boy was gone for good, there was no trace of him. He swaddled the remaining boy as best he could, taking a deep sullen breath before holding the tiny child to him.

Hagrid knew his priority was getting Harry Potter to Albus Dumbledore.

* * *

******.oOIABBOo.**

The sleeping infant remained as such, sleeping.

Sirius eyes were focused on him. Behind the safety of his walls and the wards of his home, he could concentrate. He didn't know what to do. All the thoughts he had rushed to him with the ferocity of a stampeding herd of wild animals. He was lost in sorrow, and rage. He couldn't cultivate a clear and terse plan.

For the first time in his twenty two years of life Padfoot was at a clear and concise loss.

He stood up in a rush of emotion, running his hands through his hair before he stormed out of the room Nathaniel was still magically asleep in. He closed a door and immediately allowed his frustration to escape his lips once more, the return of feelings washing over him as the true and exceedingly clear reality of the situation finally took its toll. He fell against the wall nearest to him the once soundless sobs escaping his lips with wails and frustrated yells, his fists slamming against the ground, his feet kicking the walls across from him. His best friend was gone, his best friend's wife was gone, one of his godsons was taken from him, and this was all because they trusted two men with what they held most dear. If they hadn't gone there they would have been safe, if Dumbledore hadn't even spoken of the prophecy they would still be there, but that wasn't the worst. The worst was the simple fact that the dark lord had found them lead to only one conclusion.

Peter had betrayed them.

The secret keeper had betrayed their secret to the hand of one of the foulest beings on the face of the planet. He didn't know why, but he intended to find out. He intended for his hatred for that man to show with each wave of his wand. His tears of frustration and desperation slowly changed to tears of anger and betrayal. A deep rooted longing for bloody revenge slowly wormed its way into his heart as his breath became more and more ragged. He wanted to go now, he wanted to make him squirm, make him wriggle in fear, he wanted to make him bleed and cry, he wanted to cut Peter open just to heal him and start all over. The Cruciatus wasn't enough. The Avada Kedavra was almost too kind. No, Sirius Black was just that, a Black, and in the depth of his mind he had an arsenal of magic that he could use to make Peter Pettigrew know the folly of stealing his best friends from him.

"You're going to die Peter" he whispered to himself, wiping his face off as he stood up from his seated position in the hallway and made for his kitchen, leaning over the sink before he turned it on and bathed his face in the cool water. With a dry towel in hand he sat down at his kitchen table, taking a deep breath before resting his head on his arm on the surface of the table, closing his eyes for what he thought would only be a moment.

* * *

******.oOIABBOo.**

He was brought to consciousness by a jarring thud, his eyes immediately snapping to the closed door, straining to hear anything. He stood to make his way to the room Nathaniel was in; all the while observing that the sky was still dark which meant that it was still night, but a reverberation shook the flat, it felt like a giant had kicked the side of the building. He paused momentarily, looking outside once more as a flicker of silver danced in the peripheral of his vision. He drew his wand and sidled to the window, standing at the edge as he peered outside. He gasped at what he saw. From what he could see 10 floors down, his building was surrounded by at least two dozen black hooded and cloaked figures with white masks that all had wands extended upward, lights issuing from their weapons. The silver he saw was the wards that protected his flat, shielding his home from the damage they were trying to obviously create. The flat shook violently once more as the first of the series of the wards failed with a reverberating and thunderous clap that caused some fixtures to fall from the walls. He breathed lightly before turning around and making his way to the room. Throwing the door open he quickly strode to the sleeping child and lifted him up. Kissing him softly on the forehead realizing there was only one way out, apparition.

Steeling himself and clinging to the child desperately he turned on the spot. Nothing. He opened his eyes and looked around before repeating his action. Yet again, nothing.

"FUCK! Anti-apparition wards!" He yelled going into a panic.

He held Nathaniel close to him, looking around; he didn't know what for, but his eyes wildly danced around his room. There was no way out, he couldn't use the lift, they would be waiting. The stairs, they would still be waiting. The roof would still be covered, so no apparating. He drew his wand in a quick effort, waving it through the air before relaying a quick message in a manner they had all learned. The misty Dog patronus leapt to life before vanishing through the wall. He only hoped Moony would be able to respond in time to his plea for help.

Another massive lurch ran through the building as it shook again, a subtle crack and another loud clap followed, shaking the windows, signaling the failure of another ward. Panic was taking effect as he began to pace through his room. He set Nathaniel down deciding to barricade the door. He drug all he could to the closed door, his eyes looking out of his window at the now rippling red wall of magical energy that stood between him and his enemies. With the final piece of moveable furniture pushed up against the door he retreated to the boy on the bed, lifting him in his arms.

"If mum saw me now…she would probably tell me this is what I deserved." He chuckled darkly.

'Toujurs Pur' He thought to himself, his family motto resounding through his head. Why at a time like this, he didn't know, but briefly he thought, what would have happened if he had done what his mother had wished? 'Most likely died sooner.' He concluded. He looked at Nathaniel, sadness gripping him as another shudder threatened to bring the building down, a light puff of dust escaping his roof as the ceiling cracked from this release of magic. He looked out of his window, the final ward failing. It was only a matter of time now. He gripped his wand tighter, taking a few stilling breaths. He would fight; he would kill as many of them as he could before they took his godson.

'If only I knew how to safely make a port key' He thought.

A light clicked on in his mind. A portkey. He remembered something from a while ago. Quickly he holstered his wand and rushed to his closet and threw the door open. He stepped in and drug out his old school trunk and chucked it open, tearing through its contents haphazardly, strewing everything around his room until he found what he was searching for. He grasped the object and lifted it up, pulling out a silver ring with a black stone engraved with a stylized B. Sirius let out a laugh in triumph and without hesitation, moved to his bed, quickly scooping up the sleeping child and pressing him gently against his chest. He slipped the ring on and quietly whispered his family motto.

"Toujurs Pur"

The ring began to glow red for a moment, before fading. They remained firmly in place. It wasn't like apparating, and quickly his mind had put two and two together. It would only transport those of Black blood. The Blacks always had a save yourself, let God sort the rest mentality. He looked at the still sleeping infant and set him down gingerly on the bed. He had to move fast. Thinking quickly and hard, he vaguely remembered a ritual that allowed him to enter the Potter Manor, but it required blood.

Silently he thanked the heavens that Nathaniel was still asleep as he resigned himself to performing it, albeit quickly.

He moved to the boy and quickly slit his own palm open with a conjured knife. He took his blood and quickly drew four runes on the boy in front of him, before taking the sleeping child's hand and opening his small grasp. He whispered a quick apology before pressing the knife into the palm of the small boy and quickly slicing downward, pressing hard against his palm as the skin easily pealed apart with a gasp and a sudden wail followed by loud crying from the boy.

"I'm sorry Nate, I'm sorry" He whispered.

He pressed his open and bleeding palm to Nathaniel's, and began incanting what he could remember of the spell that accompanied the ritual. An explosion exceptionally close made him slip forward; skewing a set of the runes he had drawn.

They were in his flat.

He returned to the task at hand and finished the spell, as best as he could remember.

* * *

******.oOIABBOo.**

No more than 30 kilometers away, in the Parlor of Grimmauld Place, the family tree magically came to life, a small slow line of descent etching itself from beneath a blasted out name as a new name formed itself, congealing and darkening until the tapestry now included:

"Nathaniel Black"

A single, thoughtful woman stood in silence before the tapestry, observing the magic at play.

* * *

******.oOIABBOo.**

Quickly healing the wound on the crying infant, Sirius twirled around just as the barricaded door was blasted open. The Death Eater entered with a flourish, a green light forming at the tip of his wand as Sirius words barely beats his.

"Toujurs Pur!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

The light struck the wall behind the figure that had stood there a moment before. The death eater yelled aloud before twisting their wand and pointing it at the roof.

"Morsmordre"

* * *

******.oOIABBOo.**

In a flurry of darkness and panic, Sirius somehow managed to land upright. The baby in his grasp still softly crying. He cradled him gently, looking around at the entryway to his ancestral home. He closed his eyes, allowing his magic to extend from him, feeling for any abnormalities. The wards were all still active, the most important being the siege wards. He visibly relaxed, taking a soft breath as he leaned against the door. Closing his eyes before stealing himself once more. His next task was just as daunting.

Approaching mother.

As he began to walk forward he was startled by a slight pop, and a small figure ambling up to him out of the constantly oppressive and dark ancestral home of the Blacks. Kreacher stood before the young man and stared at him for a moment before beckoning him forward, ushering him silently through the house. Sirius having no option but to follow did just that, allowing the elf to take lead as he was finally ushered into the room of familial decent, the second parlor of Grimmauld Place. He paused at the open French doors. Across from them, sitting amicably with her hands on the arm rest was the waiting form of his mother. Kreacher pushed Sirius in from behind.

"M-" He began, but was interrupted.

"Kreacher, go fetch milk in a bottle and bring it to me. Bring a bassinet as well." She commanded the house elf.

To say that Sirius was puzzled by her actions would have been an understatement. He stayed rooted to the spot, eyeing her warily, thoughts flitting through his mind as he and his mother watched him as well. A subtle game between Blacks. Sirius broke the silence first.

"What in the bloody hell is going on?"

Walburga didn't speak; she simply raised a finely manicured finger towards the family tapestry. Sirius's eyes followed the line her finger made to the wall, scanning across the names, finally falling to something he for the life of him never believed would happen. His name had been reinstated, and beneath it was Nathaniel's. His eyes wandered on that for a moment, before it flitted to two new blast marks.

"Cissy? Bella? You removed their names?"

"Yes." She replied simply.

"And you put mine back?"

"Yes" She said again.

"And Nathaniel?"

"Is your son, I don't know how you did it…"

"Something I learned from the Potters, but that wasn't what was supposed to happen, it was meant to allow him into our wards so I could use the ring." He interrupted, showing her the signet ring he had been left with all those years ago.

"Hmm, then you obviously did it incorrectly. Give me the boy." She said to him, though a bit condescendingly.

Sirius rolled his eyes, though tentatively crossed the distance between he and his mother, clinging to Nathaniel.

"Come." She chided.

He looked at her for a moment before gently placing the sleeping child in her grasp. He watched as he saw something he had rarely seen. Walburga Black smiled.

"You realize, Nathaniel Potter died the moment you attempted that ritual. All that made this boy a Potter is gone." She looked up at Sirius from her seated position. "He needs a new name, as I believe the world would truly wonder why your boy has the same name as a Potter child"

Sirius felt an immense pang of guilt, he was only trying to save him, not curse him to their terrible title. "The world will already know he's Nathaniel, and I won't do that. I won't dishonor my best friend. I've already messed up enough. "

"You and your Gryffindor honor. Even after I reestablish you, you spit on the Blacks. " She said with lingering dislike, though tenderly holding the child.

Sirius shook his head after her disparaging remarks. The quiet ensnared them for a moment before Sirius finally asked the question he had wanted to ask. "Why are you helping me?"

"You and he are now the only real family I have left." She began, watching the young one. "The Dark Lord took my Regulus, and I truly believe he was the cause of your father's premature death." She looked up at him, her blue eyes with a hint of violet piercing her son like a skewer. "I have sworn a blood feud against the Dark Lord and those that follow him. I'd rather side with mudblood's, muggle lovers, and half breed scum than pay tribute to that bastard." She finished with an exceptionally unkind sneer, before she looked down and ran a soft hand over the small face of her newly minted grandson.

She took a breath before speaking. "I, Walburga Black, swear on my life and magic, that I will love, protect, and support Nathaniel Black, son of Sirius Black and my grandson for as long as I live. So mote it be." She suddenly stated.

Sirius watched as a black and purplish aura briefly flickered around the pair before vanishing.

"Why would you do that?" He asked

She did something yet again that went against her nature. She chuckled. "Because neither of us trusts the other. This way you know I would never harm the boy." She shifted the child and put him against her shoulder and began to pat his back. All Sirius could do was nod and agree dumbly.

As he watched his mother act the part, they were interrupted by a silver white shape that solidified into a phoenix. Its non-corporeal wings extending as it issued a subdued chirp, drawing their attention.

"That's Dumbledore's Patronus." Sirius stated as a voice wafted into existence.

"Attention, Attention…the Potters are dead. " The voice of Albus Dumbledore echoed after each sentence. "This evening they were betrayed, betrayed by their secret keeper." The voice paused. "But fear not, we have a reason to rejoice, the Dark Lord was vanquished, vanquished by the young Harry Potter. Though sadly his twin, Nathaniel Potter was killed by the same Dark Lord, we must still embrace the magnitude of this victory over darkness. Harry Potter, defeater of the dark lord, survivor of the killing curse, the Boy-Who-Lived" The patronus vanished in a puff of white smoke.

Sirius's eyes were wide, in shock, despair, fear and anger. "How?" He began. "I checked, I checked to see if he was alive and he had no pulse. How?" He questioned, his hand running through his hair. "Shit, SHIT! Everyone thinks I'm the secret keeper." He looked up at Walburga. "I have to get to my friend, I have to fix this, if I don't they are going to think that I'm the one that led the dark lord to James and Lily and the boys." He was frantic.

"Go. I will take care of him. You must clear your name." She said, more commanded.

He looked at the baby in front of him, his godson, no his son. He knelt in front of him and kissed the now sleeping boy on the forehead. "Take care of him if something happens to me." He whispered, looking pleadingly into his mother eyes. She nodded solemnly before Sirius turned around and vanished with a deft crack.

* * *

******.oOIABBOo.**

With another resounding crack, he appeared in alley across the street from a row of single story muggle apartments. He drew his hood up on his cloak and quickly looked down both sides of the street before striding across and up onto the side walk. He walked about a quarter of a block before coming to the corner of another street and turned, looking around once more he approached Moony's flat cautiously. He heard a bit of shuffling and quickly flicked his wrist, his wand dropping into his grasp as he stooped down to a crouching position and approached the door carefully. He came around the corner and stopped before calling out again.

"Moony?" He said.

The movement and noise stopped. No one responded so he approached silently and began to turn the corner before he dropped flat to the ground, dodging a green light that missed him by inches. He looked up into the face of someone he had once considered friend.

"PETER!" he roared, springing up as the short fat man sprinted as fast as he could away.

Sirius barely noticed the attempted booby trap of erumpet horn covered with silver shrapnel. He had stopped the ex-marauder in time. He didn't allow himself to linger before he too sprinted away, following the fat man.

"You really think you can outrun me you short fat arse piece of dragon shite!" He yelled, rushing through the streets, not paying attention to the eyes they were drawing to them. Sirius brought his wand up and started erratically throwing spell after spell as they raced through the streets, his emotion causing him to lose control.

"You betrayed them, you betrayed us all!"

He couldn't hear what Pettigrew was saying. He didn't care. He just kept firing spell after spell until he caught the fat young man with a tripping spell. Sirius slowed down with his wand pointed at hime.

"Nowhere to run you fucken traitor!" he yelled.

"Sirius, please, the Dark Lord…he MADE me. Please don't do this, not in front of these muggles."

Sirius hadn't noticed the crowd that was forming. He approached the man with his wand waved. "You think I won't kill you? You betrayed them to the dark lord Peter." He yelled as he approached now.

What happened next changed the course of the young father's life. He moved slowly, barely able to react in time as he heard the fat men yell into the air. "You betrayed Lily and James." He was barely able to shield himself as an explosion shook the street sending debris flying into the air. Sirius disabled the shield and waved his wand quickly through the air, displacing the accumulating dust as he looked around wide eyed.

Peter was gone.

Sirius was in abject disbelief. A slow realization coming to mind as he knew what had happened. The sly little fucker managed to point the finger and vanish; making it look like it was him. It was once said a bit of insanity lingered in the blacks. This was such a time some would agree as Sirius slowly began to chuckle as he fell to his knees. His chuckle turned into laughs before he turned his head to the sky and laughed all the louder, tears falling down his cheeks.

He never felt the stunner that hit him in the back.

* * *

******.oOIABBOo.**

Albus Dumbledore was sure of himself. Albus Dumbledore did not question himself. So when questioned about the reliability of this so called safe place, he found himself and his patience waning. He stood in the shadows of Privet Drive, lingering like a blue cloaked wraith until he was joined by the slinking presence of a tabby cat.

"Minerva." he said casually, looking over the rim of his half-moon spectacles.

The cat turned its knowledgeable gaze to the elderly man before moving silently behind the bushes, only to be replaced by an elder woman cloaked in green robes.

"Is it true Albus? Is Nathaniel truly dead?" She asked as she approached her senior.

Albus nodded solemnly, belying his knowledge. He merely relayed that all the instruments that he used to monitor the twins had stopped for an hour or so, only for half of them to whir back to life. The half that remained silent and dormant belonged to Nathaniel, the half that had sprang back to life, belonged to Harry. When he was informed by Hagrid that no body was found, he came to the conclusion that with the instruments no longer working, and the fact that there was no body, the child was in fact dead.

In a way he was right. But it still didn't make sense considering what he knew of the prophecy, but nothing was set in stone and things of a magical nature had a way of working themselves out.

The woman looked at the other child wrapped up comfortably in a bundle and placed in a small wicker basket, her eyes watching the sleeping 15 month old with motherly warmth. She touched his soft face gingerly, running a finger next to the lightning shaped scar on his forehead.

"We can't leave him here Albus; these are the worst sort of muggles. He belongs in our world. I'll even take him."

Albus eyed the woman wearily before shaking his head.

"No. This is for the best. He will be safest here. The protection afforded to him by his mother will work best with someone of her blood." He finished with an air of finality that left no room for argument.

Albus turned once more, once they had dropped him off, looking at the boy on the door step. He smiled to himself. With knowledge came responsibility, and with the knowledge of this boy's future, came the responsibility of molding him into something capable. Too bad the other was gone.

Sometimes hardship was necessary.

She sighed, resignedly. Watching as the house grew further away as they left the wards. She was worried for him. Worried for Harry.

Given the first chance, she would take Harry Potter and give him the home he deserved, if that chance ever came.

'With this family, he will never know who he is.'

* * *

******.oOIABBOo.**

Walburga pushed a lingering strand of her black and grey striped hair behind her ear, cradling the child in her arms as she casually paced through the parlor. Sirius had yet to return, so she feared the worst. But the man was a Black, and he was a capable Black. She would do what she could for him, should the need arise. Their wealth, status and titles afforded them much, but her main concern was the bundle of warmth she was rocking with every step.

"Vile" She called out, a second house elf appearing. "Bring me the book of Black." The house elf agreed and bowed before vanishing with a pop.

"Sirius, you fool, this Potter ritual is incomplete." She paused, still musing to herself, "Seems I will have to complete it or this boys blood will continue to be in a state of influx. The wards could easily reject him. He could die." She finished just as the elf reappeared. She set the boy in the bassinet and set the milk down, before opening the grimoire. She flipped through it and found what she was looking for. Reading it quickly she began the complex ritual by conjuring another knife, although this one being a bit more ritualistic. She followed by drawing a pentagram in the air around the bassinet. Following that she highlighted the right set of runes and marked them in the necessary places before incanting a spell for each. She conjured a chalice and took the knife. Leaving the chalice to float in the air she took the knife and pressed it against her wrist before painlessly slicing her own flesh open. She allowed the blood to collect as the wound healed on its own. .

Her eyes narrowed for a moment, looking at the grimoire once more before she turned back to the infant who was now watching her with one green eye and one hazel eye. Walburga continued by gently opening the boys hand and allowing his small fingers to grasp her own finger which actually elicited a warm smile from the otherwise cold woman. She brought the Knife to his small wrist and sliced it open allowing a small amount of blood to mix in the chalice. She immediately allowed the wound to close before setting his hand back in the bassinet. The boys eyes never leaving the woman. She took the container in both her hands and began a slow chant for what seemed an eternity, but was actually only twenty minutes, before stopping as she looked in the cup, the blood had literally become black.

"Sanguis Sanguinem Meum" She finished, bringing Nathaniel's head forward. She put the cup to his lips and tilted it into the infant's mouth.

Once finished she set the chalice down and placed a hand on the boy's chest murmuring a few more words, an aura of light akin to the color of the Black's slowly began to circle the boy. The child shivered as the murmuring grew in speed before she stopped with a final chant.

"Non est autem quod quid esse nigrum. Genus saeculum tu es. Sanguis sanguinem nostrum"

She looked down at the boy as he yawned without a care in the world. He opened his eyes and blinked. It was then she noticed the change. His once solitary hazel eye was now a steely grey with a hint of blue, his once solitary green eye was now a bright aqua both had a light fleck of violet. Whatever other features he inherited were muted by his age.

She lifted him and cradled him against her, grasping the milk she gently put the nipple of the bottle to his lips. The baby accepted it gratefully and began feeding while she watched him. Even the house elf's could note that she looked to be at ease with the child, the eagerness to hold him and cradle him and care for him.

"Hyperian?" She commented looking down at the child.

"Hyperian Corvus Black? Corvus like your predecessors, named for a mighty star. Hyperian, because as the youngest scion of our house you will need a powerful name. A name that elicits strength." She smiled to herself, still watching the infant.

Without the prying eyes that lingered in their society, she formulated a plan, a plan to introduce the young Hyperian in to the world of wizards without consternation and questioning, and it was thanks to her Regulus, that Sirius's boy would be safe.

"Hyperian Black, son of Sirius Black"

As if responding to her, the tapestry shifted itself, switching the Nathaniel for Hyperian. She noticed the change. Magic was a strange thing. Nathaniel Potter was indeed gone.

"My grandson. _Mon petit-fils_." She said with pride, echoing the words in the native tongue of her French and Norman ancestors. Her keen plotting eyes softening as she gazed into the eyes of the youngest Black, her pureblood prince. "My little, Hyperian Corvus Black."

"With this family, he will never forget who he is."

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys like it, please Review.**

**Recap: **

**Nathaniel Charlus Potter is gone, he is now Hyperian Corvus Black**

**Harry Potter is still B.W.L**

**Translations:**

**Sanguis Sanguinem Meum**: Blood of my blood.

**Non est autem quod quid esse nigrum. Genus saeculum tu es. Sanguis sanguinem nostrum**: What you were is no more, what you are is, black. forever you are one of the family. Blood of our blood.


End file.
